The United Nations Security Council has authorized a force of up to 26,000 troops and police to protect civilians in Sudan's Darfur region.

The joint UN-African Union operation hopes to stem the violence in Darfur, a vast region in western Sudan where an estimated 200,000 people have died over the last four years and another 2.1 million driven into camps.

UN Secretary-Ban Ki-moon described Tuesday's move as "historic." He urged member states to offer "capable" troops quickly.

It's not clear whether Canada will contribute troops to the mission.

International Co-operation Minister Josee Verner said the federal government is willing to respond to any requests "in terms of humanitarian assistance." But she said it has not yet been asked to contribute either food or soldiers.

Verner, who's in charge of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), deferred questions on Tuesday about troops to either Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor or Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay.

A spokesperson for MacKay told The Canadian Press it will be a few days before the UN issues formal requests for support. Until then, the government wasn't going to speculate.

Verner said CIDA is setting aside $125 million over five years for a UN-sponsored school food program, but the money will go to African countries other than Sudan.

Resolution 1769

UN resolution number 1769 will allow peacekeeping troops to use force for self-defence, to allow humanitarian workers to move freely and to protect civilians under attack.

However, they won't be able to seize and dispose of illegal arms.

A threat of future sanctions against Sudan was also removed from the resolution, which had been watered down during negotiations.

The force will have up to 9,555 military personnel, consisting of:

• 360 military observers and liaison officers,
• 3,772 international police, making up a civilian component; and
• 19 special police units with up to 2,660 officers.

The 6,000-plus strong civilian police is being called a "hybrid" force. They will replace a 7,000-member African Union force, which is widely seen as under-equipped and under-financed.

The plan is to draw infantry troops from African nations unless not enough are available. Other countries will contribute engineering and command functions.

The new force is to establish its headquarters by Oct. 31 and assume control of operations by Dec. 31. However, Sudan has to approve units from individual countries. UN officials estimate it will take up to a year to get the entire force established.

The Darfur crisis erupted in early 2003. Rebels, mostly non-Arab, took up arms against the central government in Khartoum.

Civilians in Darfur came under attack from a horse-borne Arab militia called the Janjaweed. The resolution eliminated a specific mention of the group, which has been accused of murder, rape and burning villages.

Canada in Sudan

There are currently 31 Canadian Forces members serving in Sudan as part of the UN mission. Most of them are military observers deployed throughout the southern region of the country. Six soldiers serve as staff officers at UN Headquarters in Khartoum and El Obeid, Sudan.

Canada spends $59 million a year on aid to western Sudan, said Verner, making the country the third largest recipient of Canadian international aid. Afghanistan is the No. 1 recipient.

Opposition parties have criticized the Conservative government for not paying more attention to the Darfur crisis. The NDP has even suggested Canadian troops be redeployed from fighting in Afghanistan and act as peacekeepers in Darfur.

Gen. Rick Hillier, the chief of defence staff, has said the army has its hands full keeping with the Afghan deployment and doesn't have the manpower to spare for missions elsewhere.

With files from The Associated Press and The Canadian Press